I really want to correct the misconception that Catholicism is just a branch of Christianity and at the same time correct the lie that Catholicism is not Christian. Catholicism is NOT just a branch of Christianity. Catholicism IS Christianity. Other Christian sects are just poor imitations of Catholicism. They separated from Catholicism and invented their own teachings to suit their own personal agenda. Others have strayed so far that calling them Christians is not only inaccurate but absolutely false (E.g., religions that claim to be Christians but reject the Trinity, like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, which, ridiculously enough, claim they restored Christianity). Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the Trinity but the basic tenet of Christianity is the Trinity, so how can one be a Christian if he, or she, rejects the Trinity? To say that a Christian is someone who follows Jesus’ teachings is being vague since Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses have their own version of Jesus. Their Jesus is not the Jesus that Christians know. Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Jesus is just an angel. But when Jehovah’s Witnesses are deliberately trying to mislead Christians away from Christianity, they claim that Jesus is also a god (implying that Jesus is merely a creation among many). In the US Christianity is too watered-down that only a very few have an idea of what Christianity really is. The problem is the watered-down Christianity is spreading like wild fire across the globe so ignorance of Christianity is spreading (Ignorance of Catholicism is ignorance of Christianity). I blame it on the bible fundamentalists who know nothing about the history of Christianity because they’re well-versed in their revisionist history. Bible fundamentalists, who prefer to be called as just “Christians” (to own that word), or “born again”, are continuously lying about the teachings of Catholicism. They also chime in with anti-Catholic “atheists”, or any anti-Catholics, in highlighting the individual Catholic’s flaw in an attempt to say that Catholicism is evil. They would do anything, no matter what it takes, to destroy Catholicism. They mean us harm. No, I’m not being paranoid. In bible fundamentalists’ (and anti-Catholics in general) attempt to destroy Catholicism, they’re attempting to destroy our way to know God. But I’m not only blaming the bible fundamentalists. I know that a lot of cradle Catholics (like myself) are guilty of being indifferent for so long that we failed to defend Catholicism from the lies and venom that those bible fundamentalists are spewing against Catholicism. On top of that, Catholicism is also being attacked from within by some Catholics with the same venom and lies that bible fundamentalists spew, not to mention the Catholic priests that gave Catholicism shame (they opened a door for enemies to attack Catholicism by committing crimes against children). Now, many people see that as an opportunity to shame Catholicism into silence in an attempt to destroy Catholicism. So, as devout Catholics, we must make our true doctrines known. Like Fr. Barron said, “Catholic stories are being told by the wrong people in the wrong way. We need to tell our own story. We need to get the message out so as to draw people in”. It is our duty as Catholics to spread the fullness of truth, which is God, and which only Catholicism can provide because Catholicism is The Church that Jesus built. We, Catholics must be steadfast in our devotion to God by defending our faith.

As a Catholic, I’ve been told a million times that I’m going to hell by evangelicals that call themselves “The real Christians”. You know the type that will send you to hell faster than you can utter the word “brimstone”, that is if they can. But whenever I encounter them I try my very best to be nice since I am a very civilized person but most of them are really rude and in-your-face. They even prefer to be called just “Christians” and not by the denomination they go to in an attempt to own that word. They seem to be succeeding in that because a lot of people seem to be thinking that Catholics and Christians are not the same. Even some Catholics call those evangelicals “Christians” like Catholics aren’t. It’s appalling. Anyway, these evangelicals insist that others should believe their every word; their every lie and share their prejudice against others or else. They also seem to be trying people’s patience so that when people get fed up with them and they get shouted at, or even get their beliefs questioned, they can cry persecution. They seem to think that being emotional about their blind faith is an effective defense for their beliefs. I know that there are lots of anti-Catholics from other groups everywhere (even some Catholics are staunchly anti-Catholic) but nothing beats the anti-Catholicism of these so-called evangelicals that are trying to own the word “Christian”. These evangelicals spread their venom in the guise that they do it out of concern for the souls of us, poor Catholics, and these same evangelicals think that being rude to Catholics is okay because Catholics are hell-bound anyway. It’s sad that these evangelicals actually succeeded in fooling so many Catholics away from Catholicism, the only Church that Christ Himself established. Anyway, I don’t want to sound sanctimonious, even though I think I am beginning to. Truth of the matter is I never gave these evangelicals any thought until recently when an evangelical, who finally revealed what denomination he belongs to, which is Baptist, insisted that I declare to people that my religion, Catholicism, is not Christian. Like hell, I would! He can wish to whatever devil is behind him that I declare such falsehood about my religion but that ain’t gonna happen. Nevah! I may not be a perfect example of what a Catholic should be but I will never turn my back away from the very thing that molds my very character; my very being. My faith is not a result of unquestioned beliefs nor fear of hell. It’s a result of years of doubting, questioning and seeking answers. I looked for God and I found Him in Catholicism, where the fullness of God’s Truth is revealed and continuously being revealed. Being a Catholic is being a Christian because Catholicism IS Christianity. I trust in Jesus’ promise, “The gates of hell will not prevail against His Church”, so no matter how much effort anti-Catholics exert on destroying Catholicism they will not succeed because there’s no power on this earth is greater than God’s. Amen and amen.